Where does the insulin go???

I have read a few times that Levemir binds and unbinds to albumin, and only is available to work the sugar in the unbound state. This makes sense. But I want to know the next step - if the insulin can bind and unbind it sounds like it is 'recycled' or at least reused. How does it leave the system - ie why do we have to keep adding insulin? Maybe I shouldn't think so much about these things, but what else to do at 3 AM when fretting about the cat????

 

It doesn't get recycled. The bound state prevents it from being used "as insulin" and delays absorption.

The binding and unbinding works a bit like a time release mechanism. See this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrtiKvSd2r8&feature=related Its kind of long, but if you advance it to about 3:25 that is where a nice animation starts that explains it pretty well. The only thing that is missing is the explanation that the "signalling begins" means the cell is able to take up glucose.

Hope that helps to explain it.

 

Ah - thanks. Will check it out. Somehow I got the idea that the bind and unbind meant that the insulin was available for another 'user'.